SNEAK PEEK! 'A Different Spirit' Anthology
A first-of-its-kind resource guide for inclusive b'nai mitzvah celebrations
One summer, Howard Blas (a co-founder of JDIN), had an idea. He was working as director of the Tikvah Program for campers with disabilities at Camp Ramah New England and thought it would be amazing to invite filmmaker, Ilana Trachtman, to camp over Tisha B’Av to screen her award-winning film, “Praying with Lior,” for the entire camp. It was a huge success! The campers and staff experienced the bar mitzvah learning process and ceremony of a young man with Down Syndrome.
And Howard and Ilana realized they shared a passion for disabilities and B’nai mitzvah. That day served as the starting point for “A Different Spirit: The Essential Guide to Creating Meaningful B'nai Mitzvah for Children With Disabilities,” due for publication with Behrman House in February, 2026. Blas and Trachtman as well as content area experts, clergy, parents and people with disabilities (many of them are JDIN writers!) have contributed chapters which will help envision the multitude of options for preparing for and marking bnai mitzvah regardless of disability.
Stay tuned for more details. Pre orders are now available. Contact Howard Blas at howardblas@hotmail.com for more information.